Aunt Mari
by Molly W
Summary: in the game of Quidditch occationaly someone will vanish but they'll turn up in a month or two . . . or twenty years please read and review
1. prologue

A/N: this was actually the first fan fic I ever wrote in the summer of 2002. that was pre-OotP and HBP but i recently returned to this plot idea. i still love it but it needs a lot of updating with current info in mind. so anyway here is the updated prologue and hopefully i'll be able to work around 2 little boys and one on the way and homeschooling my boys and taking two college classes and house cleaning and all my sewing projects to keep this story going. enjoy.

as always Harry Potter and co. are not mine even though i love them dearly. they will always be the property of JKR and God bless her for it.

* * *

How typical of the Dursleys to wait until he got back from school to do their spring-cleaning, Harry thought. He had just finished his 6th year at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and had spent most of his holiday so far in the Dursley's attic. 

He shouldn't even be here. He should be out finding Horcruxes or hunting down Snape but he had promised Dumbledore that he would stay here until his birthday.

Today was actually the first time he had seen the light of day. This of course was only because he was carrying a box of old books out to the curb to be taken away with the other refuse. He dropped the box and stood stretching his back and breathing in the fresh air. Then something in the box caught his eye. He hadn't really been paying attention when he packed it but now he noticed that all of the books were muggle fiction classics: a couple of Dickens novels, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice.

Harry wondered who they could have possibly belonged to. He was quite sure Dudley had never read a book in his life. Uncle Vernon wouldn't be caught dead reading fiction, and the only thing Harry had ever seen Aunt Petunia read was the Daily Mail. Yet these books looked as though they had been read many times.

Harry reached into the box and pulled out one of the books. It was a collection of Arthurian legends by Sir Thomas Malory.

Ha, Harry thought. He wondered if Uncle Vernon knew that he had something so blatantly magical under his roof.

Harry flipped through the book and stared at the name-plate. For, there in the scrawl of a very young child, was the name _Lily Evans_.

These books had belonged to his mother. He drew out another book from the box. This one was a well loved copy of Robin Hood and on the inside cover in his mothers delicate teenage handwriting was inscribed.

_To Marian, I thought you might like this one as it has your name in it. Your friend, Lily_

Marian? Who was Marian? Why had his mother given her this book? And why was it returned?

* * *

Harry sat in his dress robes in the living room of the Burrow, waiting. It was the day of Bill and Fleur's wedding and again he wished he could be anywhere else. He tapped his foot agitatedly on the floor. As soon as this was over he could be off to Godric's Hollow. He wasn't sure if he would find any of the horcruxes there but he knew he had to go. He was so lost in thought he hadn't heard Remus come in and sit beside him. 

"What's that?" Remus asked.

Harry jumped and then looked down at the book in his hands. He had forgotten it was there. He had been carrying it around with him since he had found it in that old box of the Dursleys.

"Oh, this?" Harry handed the book to Remus, "Just a book."

Remus looked at it as if he had seen it somewhere before. He opened the cover and smiled when he saw Lily's handwriting.

"What are you doing down here?" Harry asked, "don't you have some kind of best man duties to be doing?" He didn't really intend to snap at his friend but he had been a little short with everyone these days.

Remus didn't seem to notice. "Bill's up reassuring Fleur that he's actually going through with it. She said she wouldn't finish getting ready until she saw him."

"But, I thought they weren't supposed to see each other on the wedding day," said Harry.

Remus answered with a laugh, "Well she hasn't got her dress on yet or Aunt Merell's tiara. So, Molly said it would be okay for just a minute. Hey," he changed the subject, "Where did you get this?"

"Found it," Harry shrugged, "Why?"

"I haven't heard the name Marian in years," Remus shook his head.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask somebody about that." Harry perked up, "Who is Marian? I guess she was a friend of my mom's."

"Oh, she was more than that. She was your aunt, Harry," Remus said, "your dad's little sister."

"I didn't know my dad had a sister. Why couldn't I have gone to live with her?"

"I said she **was** your aunt, Harry," Remus said carefully. "She disappeared your dad's 7th year at Hogwarts. We never saw her again."


	2. the big game: 1978

A/N: alright the actual first chapter is up and just because some kind soul from Harry Potter Fans on Ivillage asked me to post more. This is tweeked a little from when I first wrote it (gee was that really 4 years ago) I'm trying to get it to remain as true to canon as possible but in my world there will be Quidditch at Hogwarts for Harry's seventh year. I just can't get around that. Also Harry will be spending some of his time at Hogwarts despite his assertion that he would not be going back. He just has to and that's that.

i edited this today (5/7/06) i just added one paragraph so if you read it yesterday you may want to read it again. it doesn't matter now but it will later in the story.

as always Harry Potter and co. are not mine even though i love them dearly. they will always be the property of JKR and God bless her for it.

* * *

"Mari. Mari, wake up."

Marian Potter opened one eye to see her best friend Sita Sharma sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Today's the day."

"Oh, yeah," Mari jumped up and pulled on her robes. "How late are we? Did I sleep through breakfast?"

"No Lily's still doing her hair."

"Alright I've got plenty of time then." Mari began to put her own hair up in pigtails.

"So Mari, are you nervous?" Sita was always nervous. The slight Indian witch was shy and very superstitious.

"Well, not about the game, but Sirius is commentating. He'll have to look at me. Maybe he'll actually realize I exist." Mari fell back onto the bed dreamily.

"He knows you exist. He's your brother's best friend."

Just then Lily Evans came into the girls dormitory looking perfect as always. "So today's the big day," she smiled at Mari. Lily was in her seventh year at Hogwarts just like Mari's brother James. "Don't worry. James said you've been practicing all summer. You'll do great."

Mari had been practicing all summer. She had a lot to live up to. Her brother James was the captain of the Griffindor Quidditch team and the best Chaser anyone had seen in years. But he wouldn't be playing Chaser today. The team's Seeker, Amelia Hooch, had not come back to school yet after her father, who played professional Quidditch, and his entire team were murdered in their locker room before a game by You-Know-Who.

So, until further notice James would be playing Seeker, leaving his Chaser position open for his little sis. Mari was a great flyer. She would have loved to join the team last year, but first year's never got picked for the house teams. Now she was a second year with her very own brand new Silver Arrow broom.

The three girls walked down to the Great Hall together. James and his friends were already sitting at the Griffindor table.

Remus Lupin, one of James' friends stood and bowed to the girls, "The lady Marian of Nottingham has decided to grace us with her presence."

"Shut up, Moony," Mari rolled her eyes at him and noticed that Sirius Black was smiling at her. Mari blushed and took her seat next to Sita.

"So Sis, ya ready for the game today."

Mari had regained her composure and grinned at her brother, "I was born ready." Sita nudged her and pointed under the table. Lily and James were holding hands. Mari was glad Lily was her brother's girlfriend. Lily was so nice and they were head boy and head girl and they just looked so cute together.

"I wish it was Sirius and me," Mari whispered so only Sita could hear.

"Your lucky you've got a choice in the matter. My marriage will be arranged."

After they had all eaten and the plates had been magically cleared James jumped up and called the team together.

"Let's go on down to the field and get warmed up."

Mari's heart skipped a beat. Maybe she was a little nervous about the game.

Lily gave James a kiss on the cheek, "Good luck."

Mari tried to look elsewhere while the boys gagged ("Are we gonna have to separate you two.")

Then her eyes met those of someone she didn't want to think about today of all days. His lank greasy hair didn't cover the memory of the deep red gash that had run across his face only a little over a month ago. It had been healed by the matron shortly after the awful event but the hatred was still in his eyes. Mari turned away and tried to refocus herself on the game that lay ahead.

"Good luck, Mar. You'll do great," Sirius patted her on the shoulder.

Mari couldn't move. She thought she would faint.

"Come on, Sis."

She ran to catch up with the rest of the team, Flashing Sita a thumbs up.

On the field she was in her element. She scored twice within the first ten minutes of the game.

"There's another one for the prettiest chaser on the field, Mari Potter," Sirius called into the mic.

Mari nearly fell off her broom. Never mind that she was the only girl chaser on the field.

But then she saw it, the golden snitch. She knew James had seen it too. He was diving at brake neck speed towards it. She saw him. He was right there. He almost had it.


	3. the big game 1997

A/N: yea! more Quidditch. enjoy. Thanks, Tina, glad you like it. i added a short paragraph to the last chapter (the big game '78) . it's not important immediately but it will be later. so if you've already read it go back and read it again.

as always Harry Potter and co. are not mine even though i love them dearly. they will always be the property of JKR and God bless her for it.

* * *

Another year, another Quidditch game. Harry paced back and forth across the changing room floor. His teammates were waiting for him to give them some words of encouragement, but he didn't have any. They should be glad that they were playing at all. 

The security at Hogwarts had been tighter than it had ever been in anyone's memory. All games had very nearly been canceled, buy Harry and Ron had pleaded with Headmistress McGonagall for over an hour. They reminded her that the players and spectators need not even leave the grounds.

"It's a dangerous sport in these already dangerous times," she had said rather unconvincingly and they knew they were wearing her down.

"Well yes," Harry said grinning. "Someone will vanish occasionally."

"But they'll turn up again . . ." Ron added.

"In a month or two," They finished together laughing.

McGonagall then smiled one of her uncharacteristic smiles and they knew they games her on.

However, now standing here on the morning of the first match, Harry wondered why he had pushed so hard for it to go on. These were dangerous times. People were dying out there in the real world. Harry knew the Horcrux he had destroyed this summer had not gone unnoticed by Voldemort and it seemed his death eaters were making up for it by going on a rampage.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment and tried to close his mind to the memory of the latest pictures from the cover of the Daily Prophet. Then he looked up at his teammates. For better or worse they had a game to play today, and he meant to win.

Harry clapped his hands and rubbed them together looking fiercely out at the field. "Let's do it!"

Ron and the others cheered and followed him out to the pitch. Ginny gave him a quick pat on the back and smiled. They hadn't spoken in weeks. He knew she was trying to give him some space even if it broke her heart to do so.

They all took to the air and Harry hoped for a quick and victorious end to the game so he could get back to dealing with his other problems. It seemed he got his wish. Almost as soon as he reached playing height, Harry spotted the snitch and zoomed towards it. It was hovering just the other side of their own center goal post. No one else was paying attention they were all watching Ginny score down at the other end. Ron zipped out of Harry's way just in time. Harry threaded his arm through the goal and grabbed the tiny snitch.

There was a tumult of noise once everyone realized what had happened. But Harry thought he heard an unfamiliar voice over all of it yell, "That was brilliant, James!"

If that weren't odd enough someone from the stands yelled, "Who's that?" They were pointing in the direction of a girl flying over the pitch wearing Gryffindor robes.

"Hey they're only supposed to have 7 players!" a Slytherin screamed, "That's not fair!"

This was followed by a chorus of "Who's that girl?" and "What's she doing on the pitch?"

It was Harry who noticed that the mystery girl was about to faint and fall off her broomstick. He let go of the snitch and sped over to catch her before she hit the ground.

She looked up at him with blurry eyes. "You're not James," she whispered before she blacked out.


End file.
